Clip for mounting rotatable antenna on receiver cabinet, the clip held secure by outward forces exerted by resilient clip arms



1 85.21, 1967 w ARRlNGTON 3,305,869

TATABLE ANTENNA 0N RECEIVE CLIP FOR MOUNTING RO CABINET, THE CLIP HELDSECURE BY OUTWARD FORCES EXERTED BY RES'ILIENT CLIP ARMS Filed July 1,1964 Inventor WILLIAM L. ARRINGTON B y @wwfi United States Patent CLIPFOR MOUNTING ROTATABLE ANTENNA 0N RECEIVER CABINET, THE CLIP HELD SE-CURE BY OUTWARD FORCES EXERTED BY RESILIENT CLIP ARMS William L.Arrington, Roselle, Ill., assignor to Admiral Corporation, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 1, 1964, Ser. No. 379,478 8Claims. (Cl. 343-702) This invention relates to antenna clips.Specifically, it relatesto removable antenna clips for mounting antennaeto receiver cabinets. The invention can be used in a number ofenvironments but will be described in the environment of a televisioncabinet upon which is mounted a rotatable telescopic antenna of the typewhich has a spherical base and tubular antenna elements extending fromsaid base.

In order that an antenna clip effectively mount a rotatable antenna to atelevision cabinet, the clip must contain certain elements. Theseelements include bearing surfaces to position the spherical base of theantenna, means allowing the antenna elements to extend outside of thecabinet, means for biasing the bearing surfaces towards each other sothat the spherical ball will remain positioned between the bearingsurfaces but will be free to undergo limited rotational motion, andmeans for securing the clip within the cabinet.

The invention discloses an improved antenna clip wherein a single metalstamping is used to mount an antenna to a television cabinet and also tosecure itself to the cabinet by engaging the cabinet with meansindependent of the means positioning the antenna.

Consequently, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedantenna clip.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved antenna clipwhich is economical in its manufacture.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an antenna clipwhich can be easily inserted into and withdrawn from a televisioncabinet.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved antenna clipwhich will securely mount an antenna to a television cabinet and alsosecure itself to the television cabinet.

Other objects of ;the invention will become apparent to those skilled inthe art upon reading the specification in conjunction with the drawingin which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an antenna clip constructed inaccordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of an antenna clip constructed in accordancewith the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a partial side view of a portion of a television cabinetwith an antenna clip, constructed in accordance with the invention,securing an antenna to the cabinet.

FIGURE 4 is a partial top sectional view of the television cabinet ofFIGURE 3 taken along line 44 of FIGURE 3, showing an antenna clipconstructed in accordance with the invention securing an antenna to thecabinet. i

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, an antenna clip constructed inaccordance with the invention is shown. In these figures a metalstamping is bent to form a pair of arms 10, an arm 11 and an arm 12,each extending from a base 13. The bent stamping is substantiallycubical in shape. Each of arms 10 are stamped and bent at one end toform an inwardly extending rim 14 and outwardly extending teeth 15. Arm11 has stamped in it an aperture 16, the rim of which is formed into aconvex bearing surface 17. Arm 12 has stamped in it an aperture 18 and asmaller aperture 19. The angle 3,305,869 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 "icebetween base 13 and arms 10, arm 11 and arm 12 is slightly greater thanso that each of the two pairs of arms are outwardly biased.

FIGURES 3 and 4 show side and top sectional views of a televisioncabinet 20 to which is mounted an antenna 21. Television cabinet 20 haswithin it a cubical shaped enclosure having two oppositely disposedwalls 22, a back 23, a wall 24 and a wall 25. In the drawing, back 23and wall 24 are shown as being common with television cabinet 20, but itis understood that while this is a convenient method of incorporatingthe cubical enclosure within television cabinet 20, other geometrieswill be equally effective. An opening 28 is formed in wall 24, and anopening 30 is formed in wall 25 in registry with opening 28, a bearingcollar 29 mounted within opening 28.

Antenna 21 comprises a spherical base 26 and concentric tubular antennaelements 27 passing through orifices in spherical base 26. A portion ofthe tubular antenna elements 27 is cut away in FIGURE 3 to betterdisplay the structure of the clip.

In mounting antenna 21 to television cabinet 20, spherical base 26 ispositioned adjacent to bearing collar 29 with tubular antenna elements27 passing through opening 28 and extending outside of televisioncabinet 20. While antenna 21 is being mounted, tubular antenna elements27 are withdrawn so that no part of tubular antenna elements 27 extendbelow spherical base 26 into the interior of television cabinet 20.Walls 10 are bent towards one another by engaging rims 14 with a pliersor other suitable instrument. The clip is then pushed into the cubicalenclosure until apertures 16 and 18 are in registry with openings 28 and30 and wall 13 is in an abutting relationship with back 23. Convexbearing surface 17 is now adjacent to spherical base 26. The resiliencyof the metal of the clip tends to force arm 11 towards wall 24, therebyfrictionally securing spherical base 26 between bearing collar 29 andconvex bearing surface 17. Arms 10 are then released and teeth 15 comeinto a biting engagement with walls 22, thereby insuring immobility ofthe clip. Spherical base 26 being thus positioned can undergo onlylimited rotational motion, which motion allows adjustment of antenna 21.The aforementioned alignment of apertures 16 and 18 with opening 28 and30 allows tubular antenna elements 27 to be withdrawn into the interiorof the television cabinet when antenna 21 is not in use.

, Should it be desired to remove the clip, rims 14 are again engaged bya suitable instrument and drawn inwardly, thereby breaking theaforementioned biting engagement between teeth 15 and walls 22. The clipcan then be withdrawn by merely pulling on rims 14 while maintaining theinward pressure on rims 14.

A lead 31 is passed through aperture 19, a conductive path being insuredby soldering the lead to the clip. Lead 31 couples signals received byantenna 21 to the input of the television circuitry (not shown) in awell known' manner.

What has been described is an antenna clip for mounting a rotatableantenna with a spherical base to a television cabinet, the clipcomprising a first pair of resilient arms which cooperate with a firstpair of oppositely disposed walls within the television cabinet torotatably mount the antenna to the television receiver, and a secondpair of resilient arms which cooperate with a second pair of oppositelydisposed walls to insure immobility of the clip. While the invention hasbeen described in the environment of a television cabinet to which ismounted a rotatable antenna with a spherical base, it is understood thatthis is merely for convenience in its description and the invention isnot to be so limited. The in vention is limited only by the appendedclaims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination with a receiver cabinet and a rotatable antenna, saidreceiver cabinet having an enclosure therein with a first and a secondpair of oppositely disposed walls, one wall of said first pair ofoppositely disposed walls defining an aperture therein, said rotatableantenna having a spherical base with an antenna element affixed thereto;an antenna clip for mounting said rotatable antenna to said receivercabinet comprising: a base; first and second resilient arms afiixe-d tosaid base; and gripping means affixed to said base independent of saidfirst and second resilient arms; said first and second resilient armscoperating with said first pair of oppositely disposed walls torotatably position said spherical base between said first resilient armand said one wall, said antenna element extending through said aperturein said one wall; said gripping means cooperating with said second pairof oppositely disposed walls to insure immobility of said antenna clip.

2. In combination with a television cabinet and a rotatable telescopicantenna, said television cabinet having an enclosure therein with afirst and a second pair of oppositely disposed walls, said first pair ofoppositely disposed walls defining respective openings in registrationwith each other, said rotatable telescopic antenna having a sphericalbase and concentric tubular antenna elements passing through orifices insaid spherical base; an antenna clip for mounting said rotatabletelescopic antenna to said television cabinet comprising; a base; firstand second resilient arms each defining an aperture, said aperturesbeing in registry with one another and with said openings; and grippingmeans afiixed to said :base independent of said first and secondresilient arms; said first pair of oppositely disposed walls cooperatingwith said first and said second resilient arms to rotatably positionsaid spherical base between said first resilient arm and one of saidfirst pair of oppositely disposed walls, said concentric tubular antennaelements passing through said apertures and said openings, said grippingmeans cooperating with said second pair of oppositely disposed walls torender said antenna clip immovable therebetween.

3. In combination with a television cabinet and a rotatable telescopicantenna, said rotatable telescopic antenna having a spherical base andconcentric tubular antenna elements extending through orifices in saidspherical base, said television cabinet having an enclosure therein witha first and a second pair of oppositely disposed walls, said first pairof oppositely disposed walls defining openings in registration with eachother, a bearing collar mounted in one of said openings, said sphericalbase being in seating engagement with said bearing collar; an antennaclip for maintaining said seating engagement comprising: a base; a firstpair of resilient arms affixed to said base, said first pair ofresilient arms defining apertures in registration with one another andwith said openings; a convex bearing surface formed on the rim of one ofsaid apertures; and gripping means affixed to said base independent ofsaid first pair of resilient arms; said first pair of oppositelydisposed walls cooperating with said first pair of resilient arms torotatably position said spherical base in seating engagement with saidbearing collar and said convex bearing surface, said concentric tubularantenna elements passing through said apertures and said openings; saidgripping means cooperating with said second pair of oppositely disposedside walls to render said antenna clip immovable therebetween.

4. A combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein said gripping meanscomprise a second pair of resilient arms with biting surfaces thereon,said biting surfaces adapted to bitingly engage said second pair ofoppositely disposed walls.

5. An antenna clip for mounting a rotatable telescopic antenna to atelevision cabinet, said television cabinet containing a substantiallycubical enclosure with a first and a second pair of oppositely disposedwalls, said first pair of oppositely disposed walls defining a pair ofopenings in registry with one another, a bearing collar mounted in oneof said pair of openings, said rotatable telescopic antenna having aspherical base defining a pair of diametrically opposed orifices,concentric tubular antenna elements being frictionally held within saidorifices, said spherical base being in seating engagement with saidbearing collar, means including said antenna clip maintaining saidseating engagement; said antenna clip comprising: a rectangular base; afirst and a second pair of oppositely disposed arms extending from saidbase, said first pair of oppositely disposed arms defining a pair ofapertures in registry with one another, a convex bearing surface formedon the rim of one aperture of said pair of apertures, each of saidsecond pair of oppositely disposed arms having an inwardly bent end andoutwardly biased engaging means, said antenna clip being forciblyinserted within said enclosure such that said apertures are in registrywith said openings and said spherical base is rotatably imprisonedbetween said bearing collar and said convex bearing surface, saidoutwardly biased engaging means frictionally engaging said second pairof oppositely disposed walls to insure immobility of said antenna clip,said inwardly bent ends being accessible to a suitable instrument fordistending said second pair of oppositely disposed arms to break saidfrictional engagement and allow removal of said antenna clip from saidenclosure.

6. An antenna clip as claimed in claim 5 wherein said engaging meanscomprise a serrated surface extending outwardly from said second pair ofoppositely disposed arms, said serrated surface being in bitingengagement with said second pair of oppositely disposed walls.

7. In combination; a television cabinet including a substantiallycubical enclosure having top and bottom walls with openings therethroughand side walls; a telescopic rotatable antenna having a spherical baseforming a pair of diametrically opposed openings therein and a pluralityof telescopic antenna elements frictionally secured in said base; abearing collar, dimensioned for rotatably retaining said spherical base,positioned in the opening in said top wall; a one piece box-like clipformed from resilient material having two pairs of oppositely disposedarms; one pair of said arms defining respective apertures inregistration with each other; a bearing surface formed in the lip of oneof said apertures, said spherical base being captured between saidbearing surface and said bearing collar; and a plurality of outwardlydisposed teeth in the remaining pair of arms for bitingly engaging saidside walls, whereby said clip securely maintains said telescopicrotatable antenna within said television cabinet.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 further including a pair ofwindow-like extensions extending inwardly from said remaining pair ofarms, said extensions enabling said remaining pair of arms to be flexedinwardly for removal of said clip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1965 Biesecker343-702 3/1966 Berger 343-702

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A RECEIVER CABINET AND A ROTATABLE ANTENNA, SAIDRECEIVER CABINET HAVING AN ENCLOSURE THEREIN WITH A FIRST AND A SECONDPAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED WALLS, ONE WALL OF SAID FIRST PAIR OFOPPOSITELY DISPOSED WALLS DEFINING AN APERTURE THEREIN, SAID ROTATABLEANTENNA HAVING A SPHERICAL BASE WITH AN ANTENNA ELEMENT AFFIXED THERETO;AN ANTENNA CLIP FOR MOUNTING SAID ROTATABLE ANTENNA TO SAID RECEIVERCABINET COMPRISING: A BASE; FIRST AND SECOND RESILIENT ARMS AFFIXED TOSAID BASE; AND GRIPPING MEANS AFFIXED TO SAID BASE INDEPENDENT OF SAIDFIRST AND SECOND RESILIENT ARMS; SAID FIRST AND SECOND RESILIENT ARMSCOPERATING WITH SAID FIRST PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED WALLS TOROTATABLY POSITION SAID SPHERICAL BASE